A former Merseyside council leader was arrested and charged with assault as she campaigned against Scottish independence at a polling station in Glasgow.

Marie Rimmer, who has been on St Helens council for more than three decades, was held after, the ECHO understands, a woman was kicked at a community centre in the Shettleston area of Glasgow around lunchtime as Scots turned out to cast their vote in the landmark referendum.

She was among droves of Merseyside politicians in Scotland to support the 'No' campaign, urging Scotland not to abandon the union during today’s historic vote.

But it is understood a dispute broke out between the rival camps at the Shettleston Community Centre in Amulree Street in the inner city suburbs of the country’s second city.

Mrs Rimmer, who was famously deposed by Cllr Barrie Grunewald – himself a Scot – as leader of St Helens council last year, is due to replace Shaun Woodward as candidate for the St Helens South and Whiston parliamentary seat when Mr Woodward steps down at the next general election.

The firebrand St Helens councillor, who Mr Woodward described as “a real fighter” on her nomination to replace him, could not be contacted today.

When the ECHO approached St Helens leader Cllr Grunewald, who is also in Scotland campaigning for the Better Together campaign, he had not heard any news his old former leader had been arrested.

Marie Rimmer is due to replace Shaun Woodward as candidate for the St Helens South

But social media was alive with claims that Mrs Rimmer had had a brush with the law while out on the campaign trail.

A spokesman for Police Scotland said: “Police Scotland can confirm that a 67-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with an alleged assault on a female in an incident at the Shettleston Community centre in Amulree Street, Glasgow at around 1pm today.